Focal Clear Headphones $899 Delivered (RRP $2,599) @ Addicted to Audio (New from Auckland Store, B-Stock Elsewhere)

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salmonsalami on 14/03/2023 - 15:10 addictedtoaudio.co.nz (799 clicks)
Last edited 14/03/2023 - 15:20 by 1 other user

I know the link said this is B-stock, but I popped into the store today and they said all the B-stock is in their stores and warehouse over in Australia and that their Auckland store can do the brand new stock for the B-stock price. For those out of Auckland, you might want to give them a call to see if they'll send you brand new stock if you buy B-Stock via the website.

These high-end headphones are in the same league as other > $2,000 headphones like the Sennheiser HD800S, HiFiMan Arya Stealth, etc. I know there's a newer model, the Focal Clear Mg (RRP $2,999), but these original Focal Clear are extremely close in performance and are less than 1/3 the price at the moment.

AddictedToAudio have a bunch of other Focal headphones at big discounts too:
https://addictedtoaudio.co.nz/collections/focal-headphones-b…
Focal Elegia Closed Back Headphones B-STOCK $499 (RRP $1,399)
Focal Celestee Closed-Back Dynamic Headphones B-STOCK $799 (RRP $1,599)
Focal Utopia 2022 Reference High End Dynamic Headphones B-STOCK $5,699 (RRP $8,299)
Focal Stellia Reference High End Closed Dynamic Headphones B-STOCK $3,499 (RRP $5,299)

Related Stores

addictedtoaudio.co.nz

• 

  Wakrak on 14/03/2023 - 15:21

  OzBargain feedback
  https://www.ozbargain.com.au/product/focal-clear

• 

  aerir on 14/03/2023 - 15:40

  +1

  Ye bought one last night, should be shipping over from Australia because they gave me an Australia Post tracking number.

  • 

    Mico on 14/03/2023 - 16:11

    Does that mean if you order them online, they will be the B stock from Aussie warehouse?

    • 

      aerir on 14/03/2023 - 16:24

      +1

      Looks like it, from ozbargain site they claimed b-stocks are just carton damage

      • 

        salmonsalami on 14/03/2023 - 17:00

        +1

        The guy at the store today said that they had 3 warehouses in AU and they're consolidating down to 1. In the process of moving some of the boxes got damaged, but the headphones themselves are new and aren't refurbs.

        The Auckland store is getting a couple more Clears (A-stock) soon.

        • 

          aerir on 16/03/2023 - 12:02

          +1

          @salmonsalami: Received my B-stock, took them a day to get here. Other than the B-stock sticker on the box, you really can't they the difference. It is a well padded packaging.

• 

  Rakka on 14/03/2023 - 19:25

  Does anyone know if they have a few demo sets instore? I feel like their are diminishing returns but haven't really tried a pair above $500 bucks.

  • 

    salmonsalami on 14/03/2023 - 19:44

    +2

    They had the Clear Mg out for demo and I think the Utopia was also out but I didn't pay much attention to them because they're waaaaaaaaaay out of my budget. I didn't see any of the Focal closed back headphones out for demo.

    I had a listen to the Clear Mg and it has a very similar sound to the Clear, slightly more bass, slightly smoother high-end but you would really have to listen for the difference. If it was a blind test and I had to listen them a day apart, I don't think I would be able to tell the difference.

    • 

      Rakka on 15/03/2023 - 09:24

      Thank you for the insight!

  • 

    spronkey on 15/03/2023 - 13:41

    +1

    Massively diminishing returns IMO. I don't think there's a pair of headphones beyond $400-500 I've heard that I would consider "worth it". Personally owned a pair of Elex (Drop model), and have spent a decent amount of time with Clear. There's a difference between Elex and Clear, but it's pretty small. Whether it's better? I mean do you like Chocolate or Vanilla?

    I still prefer the Sennheiser HD650 (/6XX) to the Elex anyway, and it's half the price. Compared to the Sennheisers, Focal's headphones have higher end materials in the build (although I wouldn't say they are built better…), are clearer, have a bit more audible detail and have a somewhat noticeable amount more punch. However they are also way heavier and less comfortable, and my Elex died spontaneously (as have many others, although this is apparently not much of an issue with the Clear which uses thicker guage wiring).

    • 

      Rakka on 16/03/2023 - 12:18

      +1

      Thank you. Getting older, my ears are less sensitive and I have a little more perspective. I'll save my money and time and go get that nice Shield unit I saw in another thread :)

• 

  envy on 14/03/2023 - 23:08

  +1

  These are considered to be the best headphones available for under $2000 NZD, so to get them at this price is a steal. They're really only beaten by the Hifiman Arya's and in some cases the Audeze LCD-X's. I tried out the Clear MG's but i wasn't really a fan, however most people prefer these (OG's) over the newer MG's.

  It's been a very long time since they've been at their RRP and have spent the last 12 months around $1400 before dropping to $1200 more recently.

  I had a yarn to the guy who works at A2A and he mentioned that Focal had brought them out. This probably explains why they have Focal on special basically all the time and now the sudden influx of B stock.

  I just wished they still sold these in the black colourway (i'm not a fan of the grey).

• 

  freeocha on 15/03/2023 - 09:06

  According to rtings, the performance of focal clear is not the hd800s class. Especially its Harmonic Distortion is much worse. That means it will be not that "clear". Its competitor should be Hifiman edition xs($899). I would say $899 is a fair price.

  https://www.rtings.com/headphones/tools/compare/sennheiser-h…

  • 

    Latex Fist on 15/03/2023 - 10:44

    Those are the focal clear MG's, not the clears.

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  Rakka on 15/03/2023 - 09:24

  +2

  Will wander in to store this weekend and have a listen. My daily is Bose 700's (noise cancelling for the win) - I'm ok spending more but I've learnt the hard way re: diminishing returns.

• 

  kiwical on 15/03/2023 - 19:08

  Call me cynical but just how many B-stocks can you get? I can never get my head around how they manage to rough up so many boxes.

  I mean could it even be some sort of cheapie psychology going on?

  People will be suspicious if the price of a perfect pair went so low, so we will call them B-stock and people will nod in understanding and pull the trigger.